The public prosecutor in Spain has agreed to substitute the 21-month prison sentence imposed on the Argentina international for a fine.

This comes after both the player and his father were found guilty of 4.1 million euro tax fraud against the tax authorities in Spain.

Due to the laws in Spain, a prison sentence was never likely to have been served by Messi.

According to reports from legal sources at news organisation EFE, the prosecutor took into consideration no previous offences and the fact that Messi had agreed to pay an debts. This will remove the original punishment.

Reports suggest that Messi will pay 252,000 euros and his father 180,000 euros.